Driving after drugs by country
Last reviewed: 9 October 2026
How each country treats driving after drug use: limits or zero tolerance, medicines and police screening. Pick a country for the full list of rules, each with its official source.
| Country | Approach to cannabis (THC) | THC threshold | Prescribed medicines | Police screening test | Main sanctions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | Limit 3.5 ng/ml THC | 3.5 ng/ml (serum) | Exception if prescribed | ⚠ Not yet verified | Fine up to EUR 3,000 |
| Netherlands | Limit 3.0 µg/l THC | 3.0 µg/l (blood) | Same limits apply | Saliva test | Ban up to 5 years |
| United Kingdom | Driving a car after drug use, England & Wales: Limit 2 µg/l THC | Driving a car after drug use, England & Wales: 2 µg/l (blood) | Driving a car after drug use, England & Wales: Defence if prescribed | Driving a car after drug use, England & Wales: Roadside drug test | Driving a car after drug use, England & Wales: Ban of 1 year or more |
| France | Any use is an offence | None: any positive test | ⚠ Not yet verified | Screening test | 3 years, EUR 9,000 |
| Spain | Any presence is an offence | None: any presence | Exception if prescribed | Drug screening test | Fine EUR 1,000 |
| Italy | Any use is an offence | None: any use | ⚠ Not yet verified | Saliva test | Up to 1 year arrest |
| Ireland | Limit 1 ng/ml THC (blood) | 1 ng/ml (whole blood) | Exemption certificate for prescribed THC only | Roadside oral fluid test | Fine up to €5,000; ban of 1 year or more |
| Australia | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Poland | No numeric THC limit | No numeric limit; presence tested | ⚠ Not yet verified | Saliva test | Up to 3 years in prison; ban of 3 years or more |
| Portugal | Presence of a listed substance | None: any positive confirmation | ⚠ Not yet verified | Screening test | EUR 500-2,500; crime: up to 1 year |
| Sweden | Any narcotic in blood | No limit: any trace in blood | Exception if prescribed | ⚠ Not yet verified | Prison up to 6 months; gross: 2 years |
| Switzerland | ⚠ Not yet verified | 1.5 µg/l (blood) | Not automatic if prescribed | Police preliminary drug test | Up to 3 years or fine |
| Denmark | Trace limit: THC 0.001 mg/kg blood | 0.001 mg/kg (blood) | Exception if taken as prescribed | Saliva or sweat test | Fine; prison up to 1 year 6 months |
| Finland | Zero tolerance (active substance in blood) | No limit: any active substance in blood | Exception for medicine the driver may use | ⚠ Not yet verified | Fine or up to 6 months in prison |
| New Zealand | Blood limits for 26 drugs; any level for others | THC: 1 ng/ml tolerance, 3 ng/ml high-risk | Defence if prescribed and taken as directed | Oral fluid test of any driver | Up to 3 months or NZD 4,500; ban 6 months+ |
Before you rely on it
This comparison covers national rules. Regional or local rules can apply on top of them, and rules change. A rule marked “to verify” has not yet been confirmed against an official source. Each country page links to the official sources, and those are the place to confirm the details before you act.
General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.